What does your heart reflect?
TODAY'S PROVERB: As water reflects the face, so a person’s heart reflects the person. Proverbs 27:19
Full disclosure here: this proverb has swirled around in my gray matter for years--until this morning. I think sometimes GOD likes to conceal things so He can lead me by the hand to revelation. When I meditate on His word and nothing comes, most times it means, the time isn't right. But, there are those moments when He says, "Now." and the picture isn't clear. I think He might be testing me to see if I'll press in or give up.
This morning, I looked back to the writings of scholars. Men who wrote years before I was a twinkle in my dad's eye. It took a few of them to finally get to the meat of what King Solomon was saying--mostly because I had to weed through old English and big words.
Anyway, for those who have already figured this proverb out eons ago, forgive the obvious.
The proverb means the way water reflects the face is dependent upon the water. If the water is like a spring--clear and still--we get a clear reflection of ourselves. If the water is turbulent or murky, our reflection is distorted.
In the same way, how we view others is dependent upon the condition of our heart. If it holds bitterness and distrust, it will distort how we see others. If our heart lives in gratitude and forgiveness, it will view others more clearly, with hope.
Louis Nizer said, "When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four fingers are pointing at himself." Not to quibble with a brilliant lawyer, but I believe it's three fingers, with a thumb going off on its own.
The point is, when something triggers an emotion in us to accuse or condemn, most times we're dealing with the same issue.
Over the years, I've found this to be true. It's the old speck and beam: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the beam is in your own eye?Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)
So, when a strong emotion erupts about someone else, I've learned to step back and reflect. Ninety-nine percent of the time I need to deal with my own sequoia before I ever approach the other person's speck.
Digging into this proverb was good, right? It was a picturesque view of Matthew 7. It was a reminder and affirmation of how the Holy Spirit guides us in the sanctification process. And, it was a sweet 45 minutes spending time with my Heavenly Daddy. Hope it was a blessing to you, too.
May we reflect from clear hearts, my friends.
Proverbs 27:19, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
Full disclosure here: this proverb has swirled around in my gray matter for years--until this morning. I think sometimes GOD likes to conceal things so He can lead me by the hand to revelation. When I meditate on His word and nothing comes, most times it means, the time isn't right. But, there are those moments when He says, "Now." and the picture isn't clear. I think He might be testing me to see if I'll press in or give up.
This morning, I looked back to the writings of scholars. Men who wrote years before I was a twinkle in my dad's eye. It took a few of them to finally get to the meat of what King Solomon was saying--mostly because I had to weed through old English and big words.
Anyway, for those who have already figured this proverb out eons ago, forgive the obvious.
The proverb means the way water reflects the face is dependent upon the water. If the water is like a spring--clear and still--we get a clear reflection of ourselves. If the water is turbulent or murky, our reflection is distorted.
In the same way, how we view others is dependent upon the condition of our heart. If it holds bitterness and distrust, it will distort how we see others. If our heart lives in gratitude and forgiveness, it will view others more clearly, with hope.
Louis Nizer said, "When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four fingers are pointing at himself." Not to quibble with a brilliant lawyer, but I believe it's three fingers, with a thumb going off on its own.
The point is, when something triggers an emotion in us to accuse or condemn, most times we're dealing with the same issue.
Over the years, I've found this to be true. It's the old speck and beam: “Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the beam in your own eye? Or how will you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and look, the beam is in your own eye?Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:3-5)
So, when a strong emotion erupts about someone else, I've learned to step back and reflect. Ninety-nine percent of the time I need to deal with my own sequoia before I ever approach the other person's speck.
Digging into this proverb was good, right? It was a picturesque view of Matthew 7. It was a reminder and affirmation of how the Holy Spirit guides us in the sanctification process. And, it was a sweet 45 minutes spending time with my Heavenly Daddy. Hope it was a blessing to you, too.
May we reflect from clear hearts, my friends.
Proverbs 27:19, Tree of Life Bible Society, Tree of Life Version - TLV #tlvbible #tlvproverbs
[WATCH MONDAY through FRIDAY LIVE at 8:30EST, Tree of Life Bible Society's CEO, Daniah Greenberg and me, Terri Gillespie, Author dig a little deeper with the book of Proverbs. Watch previous episodes there as well. Stay wise, my friends!]
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